Well see thats just it I am not sure if I am actually doing the test right first time using the kit so it possible I am doing that part wrong cause I was thinling the samething how could there be .25 ammonia with just 5 fish and that many plants especially right after a water change? The plants were in a day before the fish was added.Posted via Mobile Device

I can explain the nitrogen cycle better since noone really did lol and sice you have live plants which is awesome however ..its not good to add a lot of plants at once kinda like you wouldnt add 20 fish at once you wouldnt add 40 plants at once either ...indeed there are advantages to the staggered approach. the overall display should be the result of a build-up of plants that become gradually established. ANYWAYS lol Plants convert light, co2 and nutrients into biological matter > plant material and foods are consumed by fish > fish waste is excreted directly and indirectly as ammonia ( thats the bad stuff lol) highly toxic! > soooooooooo nitrosomonas bacteria in the filter and aquarium subtrate use oxygen to break down ammonia into nitrites > nitrobacter bacteria in the filter and subtrate break down nitrites into nitrates > nirates are only toxic at high levels and are partially taken up by plants as a source of nutrients> the majority of nitates are removed by water changes although some are converted by subtrate bacteria. and it takes more then a few days for the bacteria to get established prob 4-6 weeks but keep testing your water you should always wait the longest you can before adding fish min a week !!! keep testing every few days and only add a few fish at a time obv/ since you already have some which is cool i love those tetras i have some as well :) just make sure that ammonia gets to 0 before you add anything else :)

so Ph is 7.8 . do you know what the hardness is and the acidity/alkalinity is? because that affects plants

what lighting do you have? very important

do you have a CO2 canister??

do u plan of putting liqid fertilizer in every week or so?

what filter do you have? cuz if carbon in the filter is not needed that often in plated tanks as it takes out the GOOD nutrients as well as that bad stuff..

how deep is the tank? there are SOOO many factors lol i would just like to know so i can help better :)

I can explain the nitrogen cycle better since noone really did lol and sice you have live plants which is awesome however ..its not good to add a lot of plants at once kinda like you wouldnt add 20 fish at once you wouldnt add 40 plants at once either ...indeed there are advantages to the staggered approach. the overall display should be the result of a build-up of plants that become gradually established. ANYWAYS lol Plants convert light, co2 and nutrients into biological matter > plant material and foods are consumed by fish > fish waste is excreted directly and indirectly as ammonia ( thats the bad stuff lol) highly toxic! > soooooooooo nitrosomonas bacteria in the filter and aquarium subtrate use oxygen to break down ammonia into nitrites > nitrobacter bacteria in the filter and subtrate break down nitrites into nitrates > nirates are only toxic at high levels and are partially taken up by plants as a source of nutrients> the majority of nitates are removed by water changes although some are converted by subtrate bacteria. and it takes more then a few days for the bacteria to get established prob 4-6 weeks but keep testing your water you should always wait the longest you can before adding fish min a week !!! keep testing every few days and only add a few fish at a time obv/ since you already have some which is cool i love those tetras i have some as well :) just make sure that ammonia gets to 0 before you add anything else :)

so Ph is 7.8 . do you know what the hardness is and the acidity/alkalinity is? because that affects plants

what lighting do you have? very important

do you have a CO2 canister??

do u plan of putting liqid fertilizer in every week or so?

what filter do you have? cuz if carbon in the filter is not needed that often in plated tanks as it takes out the GOOD nutrients as well as that bad stuff..

how deep is the tank? there are SOOO many factors lol i would just like to know so i can help better :)

GH = 9 KH=8 is as before the water change today didn't check after the water change Sunday it was GH=7 KH=7

2 48" T8 bulbs umm 32watt a piece at 6500k each

NO CO2

Have used flouish Comperhensive liquid fertilizer

Eheim 2213 no carbon pad I took that out before starting the filter

and I forgot the depth of the tank LoL I know the width and length 48x12x? and I am at work right soo I could tell you the depth tomorrow

Stop feeding and just give everything a few days. IMO you should of waited at least a few days before adding the fish. Newly setup planted tanks sometime produce ammonia at first due to the high organics in the water and lack of an established system. The plants will deal with your ammonia, though I assume they were only recently shipped and planted. It is likely the are still stressed. The reason we wait and let the tank just sit planted it to allow the plants to adjust and begin establishing. Also to monitor how well they grow and water quality in the tank. Its not uncommon to have certain substrates leech ammonia initially, eco complete though is NOT known to do this. Still I feel something in the tank besides the fish is producing your ammonia. Just keep an eye on it and do a wc if it gets above 0.5ppm. I would expect if to subside within a few days at the most.

Stop feeding and just give everything a few days. IMO you should of waited at least a few days before adding the fish. Newly setup planted tanks sometime produce ammonia at first due to the high organics in the water and lack of an established system. The plants will deal with your ammonia, though I assume they were only recently shipped and planted. It is likely the are still stressed. The reason we wait and let the tank just sit planted it to allow the plants to adjust and begin establishing. Also to monitor how well they grow and water quality in the tank. Its not uncommon to have certain substrates leech ammonia initially, eco complete though is NOT known to do this. Still I feel something in the tank besides the fish is producing your ammonia. Just keep an eye on it and do a wc if it gets above 0.5ppm. I would expect if to subside within a few days at the most.

Okay I wasn't aware I should have waited a couple of days to add fish. If there is ever a next time for me I will remember that! Thanks for the help so far.